This is exactly why Charlotte has become everybody’s second favorite team — who doesn’t love chaos?
The Hornets have thrived in end-to-end chaos all season, and it paid off Tuesday night in a back-and-forth, win-or-go-home play-in game — one filled with controversy after the Heat’s Bam Adebayo had to leave the game in the second quarter.
When it mattered most, the Hornets made the big plays. With 4.7 seconds remaining in overtime, LaMelo Ball made up for a bad previous couple of plays with a game-winning driving layup, then Miles Bridges sealed the win with a block, and Charlotte picked up a wild 127-126 overtime victory in the first play-in game in the East.
With the win, Charlotte will travel to another win-or-go-home game on Friday night, this one against the loser of Wednesday night’s showdown between Orlando and Philadelphia.
Miami’s season comes to a disappointing early end despite late-game heroics from Tyler Herro and 28 points from Donovan Mitchell.
Ball finished the game with 30 points and 10 assists, while Bridges finished with 28 points and the defensive play of the night.
The controversy in this game came in the second quarter, when Ball — on the ground after going for a loose ball — took a swipe and knocked the leg out from under Miami’s Bam Adebayo, who fell hard on his back. Adebayo went straight to the locker room and did not return to the game, playing just 11 minutes.
Ball was not called for a foul on the play and it could not be reviewed because there was no foul called. Ball is likely to face a fine from the league for the action.
This was a tight game all night, with the largest lead by either team being eight.
Miami had a game plan, and in the clutch it was a lot of it was to isolate and attack Ball, who is not a great defender and, the Heat hoped, could be worn down. In the end, that didn’t work as Ball had enough to make the biggest play of the night.
Charlotte got big games from Brandon Miller with 23 points, and from Coby White off the bench, who had 19 points and some huge shots.
Hornets Rookie of the Year candidate Kon Knueppel struggled on the big stage, shooting 2-of-12 overall and missing all six of his 3-pointers.
Miami got 23 from Tyler Herro — including six straight in overtime that put the Heat in front with 8.7 seconds left — as well as 27 points from Andrew Wiggins. Sixth Man of the Year candidate Jamie Jaquez finished with 13 points on 5-of-14 shooting.
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